Mayor Eric Garcetti Throws His Support Behind McDonnell In LA County Sheriff’s Race

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti joins a long list of local and state officials in endorsing Long Beach police Chief Jim McDonnell for Los Angeles County sheriff.

The mayor appeared with McDonnell on the steps of City Hall Tuesday afternoon to formally announce his support for the former LAPD officer in the Nov. 4 runoff against former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka. McDonnell was second-in-command to former Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton until he was hired in Long Beach in 2010.

Tanaka, who is also mayor of Gardena, was not available for comment.

McDonnell, 54, was the only outsider among the primary field of seven candidates seeking to take on the task of overhauling the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department.

The department has been under fire over the treatment of inmates, leading to federal indictments and prompting four-term Sheriff Lee Baca to resign in January. Eighteen sheriff’s deputies were indicted in an ongoing federal investigation has implicated at least two more deputies to date.

Baca’s departure has cleared the field for others, including McDonnell, who has been endorsed by the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News, District Attorney Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and state Attorney General Kamala Harris. McDonnell also has the backing of all five county supervisors.